B2 Tourist Visa for Vietnamese Wife: DS-160 Questions

[Bill Hamze 89]

4 minutes ago, Lil bear said:

Not necessarily ... https://www.google.com/search?q=domicile+or+residence&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS846US846&oq=domicile+or+residence&aqs=chrome..69i57.18623j0j0&hl=en-GB&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

 

Well, based on that definition, it's not really my domicile... I use this address as a legal residence for tax and banking purposes. I don't actually own the place, my sister and her husband does, and they just let me use their address.

 

Sorry for the confusion.

[Lil bear 3,842]

7 minutes ago, Bill Hamze said:

 

Well, based on that definition, it's not really my domicile... I use this address as a legal residence for tax and banking purposes. I don't actually own the place, my sister and her husband does, and they just let me use their address.

 

Sorry for the confusion.

It can still be considered your domicile.

 I wanted to

highlight the difference between domicile and residence. Certainly owning property is strong evidence but not the only evidence of connection 

maintaining drivers licence

paying state income tax

voter registration

voting 

etc 

 

while you have no intent to return there to live now... do you intend to live in the US in the future ? If the answer right now is “yes” then right now it could be considered your domicile ... your intent may change but as of right now it’s yes .. if it is “No, never” , then it’s probably not your domicile 

Context is critical  

 

my situation .. I maintain the same ties with my home country, but I have no intention to return there and take up residence ... so I don’t consider it my domicile 

 

Clear as mud ?? 🤪

Edited August 23, 2019 by Lil bear

[kiwibean 42]

Another vote for using your mother as the US contact.  She is the contact you are going to see.  Leave Texas out of it.  I think it's a lot cleaner if it's 

-you & your wife

-who live in Vietnam (you'll both want to come back)

-visiting your mother

 

If you muddy the waters with an address in Texas, it does look a lot more like you could just stay in Texas where you have an address.

[Boiler 43,745]

This is not a we situation, she is the one who wants a visa and applies, pretty simple process.

[apple21 953]

Having a USC spouse is the hindrance. 

[Juliet57 304]

From my experience applying to B2 visa myself, and also filling out the form for my dad's B2, it's also important to bring documents to the interview:

 

- Letter of employment

- Recent pay stubs

- A letter of employment of you (so the CO knows her spouse is living in Vietnam too)

- If asked she can say she's visiting in-laws for the holidays then coming back to work which is the truth

- Any othere proof of ties to her country

[Boiler 43,745]

Just now, Juliet57 said:

From my experience applying to B2 visa myself, and also filling out the form for my dad's B2, it's also important to bring documents to the interview:

 

- Letter of employment

- Recent pay stubs

- A letter of employment of you (so the CO knows her spouse is living in Vietnam too)

- If asked she can say she's visiting in-laws for the holidays then coming back to work which is the truth

- Any othere proof of ties to her country

Just be aware that it is likely none will be looked at.

[Juliet57 304]

3 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Just be aware that it is likely none will be looked at.

I was asked to show my letter of employment, and that was 7 years ago when I wasnt married to a USC, so it's possible.

I guess it varies from country to country too 🤷‍♀️

[Boiler 43,745]

There is no realistic way they could check on the veracity of any letter of employment, some Consulates are where false documents is a very well known issue. I am not saying it does not happen, just that it would not be normal.

[SusieQQQ 11,585]

9 minutes ago, Boiler said:

There is no realistic way they could check on the veracity of any letter of employment, some Consulates are where false documents is a very well known issue. I am not saying it does not happen, just that it would not be normal.

I think it does vary. Back in my day of tourist visas - except for the first one where I had no ties but still got granted, go figure - they always looked at my employment letters. I don't know how much they trusted them, but they always looked at them. 🤷‍♀️ So i'd say to take them, best case it helps, worst case they don't look at them. It can't hurt.

Edited August 24, 2019 by SusieQQQ

[Bill Hamze 89]

1 hour ago, Juliet57 said:

From my experience applying to B2 visa myself, and also filling out the form for my dad's B2, it's also important to bring documents to the interview:

 

- Letter of employment

- Recent pay stubs

- A letter of employment of you (so the CO knows her spouse is living in Vietnam too)

- If asked she can say she's visiting in-laws for the holidays then coming back to work which is the truth

- Any othere proof of ties to her country

 

She'll definitely get the letter of employment and pay stubs as well as her labor contract. That won't be a problem.

 

But I won't have my own letter of employment... I own an online business which is registered in the U.S. (Texas), though I can work from anywhere. However, I don't think this is going to be helpful in this case. 

 

What I DO have is a local Vietnamese driver's license with our shared address on it. I'm going to make photocopies of it today and give them to her. 

 

I also have to agree with Boiler. Vietnam, from what I hear, has some issues with fake documents, and I don't think the Consulate will be eager to see any supporting docs in the interview. But I'll have my wife bring them anyway, just in case. I'll even advise my wife to "offer" to show the CO supporting documentation whenever she provides her answers during the interview (even though we expect the CO will 99% decline to see them). 

 

 

[Zoeeeeeee 797]

8 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

I think it does vary. Back in my day of tourist visas - except for the first one where I had no ties but still got granted, go figure - they always looked at my employment letters. I don't know how much they trusted them, but they always looked at them. 🤷‍♀️ So i'd say to take them, best case it helps, worst case they don't look at them. It can't hurt.

I’d agree with this - in London, I took several documents with me for my B1/2 visa - the ones the officer scrutinised were my bank statement and my letter from HR, advising they’d granted me a seven month career break, and that my job would be held for me to return to on xxx date.

 

But Vietnam is likely a very different kettle of fish when it comes to these interviews...

[Bill Hamze 89]

My wife is collecting her documents to prepare her DS-160 application, and she asked me this:

 

"Will they refuse me a visa if I say that you're going to pay for the trip? It [the gov website] says I need to have good financial status, so doesn't it mean that I should be able to pay my way?"

 

I replied that she should just tell the truth and say that I'm paying for the trip, and indicate that on the DS-160... and that even if you're able to pay your way, that doesn't necessarily guarantee a visa approval. 

 

Afterward, I was wondering if I'd offer to print out my own bank statements (from an U.S.-based bank account). But if the CO doesn't typically look at documents, then is there no point in doing so? If she has to be able to get a visa on her "own merit", how would that be possible if I'm the one who is paying, not her?

 

Edited August 26, 2019 by Bill Hamze

[Bill Hamze 89]

Wife just filled out the application form and she will pay the fee today, then schedule the interview.

 

But that DS-160 form... holy formaloly batman!  

 

It looks simple on the surface, but it is quite long and VEEERRRYYYY easy to make a mistake!  (I already caught one error, and she re-did the form and got a new confirmation ID number)

 

It's no wonder so many people get denied!

 

[Bill Hamze 89]

Verdict: Denied. 214(b)

 

Only was asked 3 questions:

 

- how long have you been married

- how long have you worked at current company

- [and one other trivial question I don't remember]

 

The interviewer did say that she's "too young", hasn't been married long enough, and that it's "too soon". Told her that she can reapply after about a year. 

 

Disappointed, but not surprised. I'm kind of pissed at myself for not trying harder to lower her expectations. She was so excited that I didn't have the heart to tell her that there's actually a low chance of it happening. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but we both felt she had a very strong case. She didn't even have a chance to tell them that she plans to come back by a specific date and that we live together in Vietnam.